Mourning the Loss of a Racing Icon – Jochen Mass Passes Away at 78

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of racing legend, Jochen Mass. The German racer, who had an illustrious career spanning over four decades, died today due to complications following a stroke he suffered in February. His family shared the news on his Instagram page, expressing their deep sorrow and gratitude for the outpouring of support they received during his final days.

A Career Defined by Triumphs and Milestones

Born in 1946, Mass began his racing career after a three-year stint as a merchant seaman. He started competing in hillclimbs with borrowed Alfa Romeo cars, quickly progressing to circuits where he was picked up by Ford for its touring car campaigns with the Capri. His successes led him to win the Spa 24 Hours in 1972 and seal the European Touring Car series title.

The German arm of the US manufacturer funded his early single-seater career in Formula 3 in Britain, where he quickly progressed to Formula 2 with March and then Surtees. In 1973, he had a race-winning season with Surtees, which led to his first F1 opportunities with the team.

Mass’s solo triumph during his nine-season, 105-start F1 career came at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix at the Montjuic Park street circuit in Barcelona. He notched up a further seven podiums during his career, all in his spell with McLaren that started in 1974 and continued through to the end of 1977.

Beyond Formula 1, Mass found great success in sportscar racing, particularly with Porsche and Sauber-Mercedes. He won nine world sportscar championship races in the German manufacturer’s 956/962 design before moving to Sauber for 1988. In 1989, he triumphed at Le Mans when he was partnered by Manuel Reuter and Stanley Dickens.

A Legacy That Lives On

After retiring from the cockpit after the 1990 season, Mass returned on a one-off basis to race at Le Mans for a 12th and final time aboard a McLaren F1 GTR in 1995. He was an ambassador for Mercedes-Benz and a regular at events like the Goodwood Revival and Members’ Meeting for the past 10 years.

Beyond his racing achievements, Mass will be remembered as a mentor and driver coach on the Mercedes young driver programme in the last of his three years at Sauber, co-driving with Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger and Heinz-Harald Frentzen over the course of the season.

As we mourn his death, let us also celebrate his incredible life. A life that he loved sharing with all of you. A life that he lived to the absolute fullest. He is racing with all his friends again. Rest in peace, Jochen Mass.